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Linh Cinder
Linh Cinder (born Princess Selene) is the primary heroine of the Lunar Chronicles. She is a viewpoint character in all four books in the series and the prequel novella Glitches. History Linh Cinder (born Selene Channary Jannali Blackburn) was the only daughter and child of the late Queen Channary and the niece of Queen Levana, and was therefore the only true heir to the Lunar throne. Her father is unknown because Channary slept with many men, so she didn't know which one was the father. When Selene was three years old, she was thought to be killed by a nursery fire that was started by Queen Levana in order to claim the crown for herself. However, without concrete evidence, no one could prove she was dead. Cinder's ethnicity is mixed (Asian/ Caucasian) shown in Marissa Meyer's blog. Selene was operated on extensively in order to save her from the wounds she had sustained, turning her into a cyborg. An underground operating room underneath Michelle Benoit's farm held Selene in a suspended animation tank for eight years in order to keep her alive but unconscious. Selene was then given to the care of Linh Garan, who adopted her at the age of eleven as Linh Cinder and took her to the Eastern Commonwealth to live with him, despite his wife Adri refusing to accept the girl into their family. From then on, until she was sixteen years old, Selene had only known herself as Linh Cinder, and had never questioned about the truthfulness of her identity. Garan died from letumosis a few weeks after adopting Cinder, consequently making Adri Cinder's new legal guardian. Adri took full advantage of her status and mistreated Cinder, believing that she was the cause of Garan's death—which is partially, yet unintentionally, true, because Lunars were the ones who carried the plague to Earth. For much of her childhood, Cinder was a girl who had no memory prior to a supposed "hover car accident," in which she had lost her parents as well as her leg and hand. Cinder befriended Peony, Garan and Adri's youngest daughter and Pearl's sister, along with the family's android, Iko. Fairest In Fairest, Cinder was born as Selene. Her mother had only shown kindess to her, letting her sleep in her bedroom and feeding her herself. Channary thought about having Selene marry Kaito, prince of the Commonwealth for two purposes. One, to help in the plan to take over Earth, and two, her child deserved royalty through her life. Cinder's mother died later though, and her aunt took rule. Levana, knowing her sister was a horrible ruler, thought that her niece would be as well. Levana was only allowed to rule until Cinder was age thirteen, so Levana came up with a plan to kill her. She decided to frame her death on Cinder's nanny with fire. Cinder was thought to be dead, but Levana heard theories about certain doctors saving her. Recent events Cinder Eventually Cinder adapted to her surroundings and became aware of the people that disliked her due to her being cyborg. Cinder set up a booth in the marketplace in New Beijing Market and worked as a mechanic in order to repay her "debt" to Adri. While she was working one day, Cinder met Prince Kai, who asked her to fix his android Nainsi. After Kai left, the market was evacuated due to a baker in the marketplace, Chang Sacha, showing signs of the plague. Later on, while in the junkyard, Cinder, Iko, and Peony were looking for a new magbelt for Adri's hover car. They then discovered an orange, old-fashioned, gas-powered car, which Cinder planned to take home and repair in order to get to Europe and out of Adri's reach. At the same time, Cinder found symptoms of the plague (spots and rashes on her skin) on Peony and she was promptly taken away by med-droids to a quarantine. Cinder tested negative for the plague when tested at the time. When Cinder returned home, Adri was grieving over the loss of Peony and infuriated with Cinder, blaming the cause of her daughter's sickness on Cinder. Even though it was confirmed by the med-droids that she did not contract the plague, Cinder believed that she must have passed the plague from Chang Sacha, the market baker taken to the quarantines earlier that day, to Peony. Adri had Cinder taken away to the palace to be used for Letumosis research against Cinder's will. Cinder tried to resist, taking out two med-droids (with her boot and a magbelt) in the process, but was tasered by a third droid and taken in unconscious. Dr. Erland, a researcher in the palace, drew blood from Cinder, and when she woke up, he opened up her control panel and scanned her, revealing that she was 36.28% cyborg, 36.28% not human. The doctor injected her with tagged letumosis pathogens and waited for them to take effect so he could give her a test antidote. After several minutes, however, Cinder's immune system kicked in and the pathogens disappeared. Finding her uniquely different from the other cyborgs, Dr. Erland drew another blood sample and immediately moved her to another lab. He then went to speak to her in person, instead of over an intercom like before, but Cinder tried to attack him with a wrench hidden in her metal calf. However, using his Lunar gift, the doctor made Cinder feel tired and safe, and he persuaded her not to attack him. Dr. Erland told her that she's actually immune to the plague and he questioned her about her childhood. Cinder told him that when she was eleven, she was told she was in a hover car crash that killed her parents, and was given a control panel, a metal hand, and a metal foot to replace the limbs she had lost. Cinder also mentioned that she did not remember anything before her surgery and was taken to the Eastern Commonwealth by Linh Garan, her former guardian. Dr. Erland let Cinder leave, but said she must come back for more check-ups. He also promised to make a private account with her own earnings-away from Adri's reach. Adri was initially shocked to see Cinder again, but then made sure that Cinder knew she must still do her "chores." Through the book, Kai frequently came to Dr. Erland's wing to see if there was any progress in finding a cure, which there was none. He had seen Cinder there, but Dr. Erland made sure to not tell Kai about Cinder being a cyborg. In addition to being a cyborg, Dr. Erland also informed Cinder that he had discovered her to be a Lunar shell as well, and this upset Cinder. But, Dr. Erland discovered a chip imbedded in Cinder's spine, preventing her from using her glamour or being used on, and making it seem like she was a shell. Cinder also found out that he was a Lunar as well. Levana had given a plague antidote to Kai, just after his dad died, and Kai delivered it to Dr. Erland. Dr, Erland couldn't replicate it because of one the ingredients was from the moon, but he gave it to Cinder to save her sister Peony, though she was too late. Cinder and Kai had several intimate moments, more than one including Kai asking her to go to the ball with him. Cinder said no repeatedly because she didn't want to be seen by Levana, she was already planning on running away, and she had no money for a gown, anyway. During the night of the ball, Cinder received a private comm by a girl (Cress), telling her that Levana was only tricking Kai into marrying her and will kill him after the wedding. Cinder raced to the palace. muddy and wet, but Kai welcomed her anyway, even though the whole crowd was staring. Cinder told him about Levana's plan, yet Kai still decided to marry Levana for the sake of the Commonwealth. Cinder kissed him in attempt to stop him, but it didn't work, and Levana only laughed at her. Levana informed Kai that she was Lunar, and that she wanted Cinder back on the moon to await a "trial". Kai refused, and Levana threatened to not deliver medicine and start a war. Cinder ran away, tripping and revealing herself as a cyborg, too. Kai was even more shocked when Cinder accidently used her glamour on the Lunar guards, surprising Levana as well. Cinder waited in prision, and Dr. Erland came to give her a new arm and leg. He also asked her to visit him in Africa. The last thing he told her is that she was Princess Selene. Scarlet Cinder met Carswell Thorne when they were both in the New Beijing Prison. Cinder found Thorne very annoying, and even came to using her glamour on him to shut him up, but later she confessed and apologized to him. The pair decided to team-up since Thorne had a ship that would lead Cinder away from the Commonwealth's military. Later, Thorne asked her if there was any particular place she would have had to escape to. Cinder pondered this, unsure if she should find Dr. Erland in Africa, but decided to France to look for Michelle Benoit to find out about the Lunar heir. During their trip there, Cinder is forced to kill several soldiers and glamour them. When they arrived, Cinder saw her burn marks as a baby and some of her history. Cinder didn't find Michelle, but found out about Scarlet, her granddaughter. Cinder set off in search of her, and found her outside an opera house with Wolf. Scarlet said that Michelle had died. They saw Kai's announcement of his marriage to Levana. Scarlet accused Cinder of not trying to save the Earthen Union and just hiding in the shadows. Cinder became furious, stating that Michelle sent her off without telling her that she was Selene, and Scarlet apologized. The Rampion escaped into space with Cinder deciding to finally fight back. Cress Cinder began training with Wolf. Scarlet said that Cinder couldn't get a lot of hits in, but when she did, she did hard. Later, the group commed Cress. Cress was orginally scared and embarrassed, but Cinder told her that all they needed was evidence of what Levana was doing in order to dethrone her. Cress accepted, favoring the Commonwealth's leader over her own, even though if she did, Levana will kill her. Cinder, learning this and the fact that Cress lives in a Satellite orbiting Earth, agrees to go and rescue her. Sybil Mira discovered the plan, and set a trap. Thorne went inside to rescue Cress, who Sybil had tied up, but Sybil trapped the two, and sent them flying to Earth. They landed in a desert, in South Africa. She also captured Scarlet as a pilot for her ship, after which she was tortured. Princess Winter takes custody of her, and Scarlet becomes her majesty's new "pet". Jacin, Princess Winter's best friend and royal guard, who was protecting Sybil on the satellite, betrayed Sybil by shooting her, claiming Cinder of controlling her. He helps the crew, and flies the Rampion to South Africa, to Dr. Dmitri Erland (later known as as Dr. Sage Darnel). Only Cinder and Wolf were left, along with Sybil's guard Jacin Clay, and they traveled to Africa to find Dr. Erland. He healed Wolf and told them that not all Lunars were immune to the disease. The group (excluding Scarlet) was reunited later, but when they left the hotel, they were cornered. The townspeople saved them, and they escaped to Bejing to stop the wedding. The group was able to sneak into the palace, turn off all video surveillance, and set a distraction to avoid Cinder being spotted. Cinder and Iko attempted to persuade Kai to come with them, but Kai refused, so they tranquilized and cut out his ID chips. They kidnapped him, and met up with the group again. Jacin was captured by Sybil, and taken to Luna to undergo a full investigation. When the group was confronted by Sybil and her royal guards, Cinder tortured Sybil's mind, driving her insane and ultimately causing Sybil to committed suicide by jumping off of a roof. The "rogue fugitives" flew to space. When Kai woke up and found Cinder, he was upset and angry at her but she explained her reasoning behind the kidnapping, including the bit about her being royalty. Cinder confessed her fear of what to do next and Levana, and Kai consoled her. They kissed, but were then disrupted by a newsfeed and eventually Cress. Levana had massacared the town that had helped Cinder, Wolf and Jacin, and all six Earthen Unions claimed war on Luna. Cinder was determined to begin an uprising, starting on Luna. Characteristics Physical appearance Cinder has a slight, thin build, naturally tanned skin, and straight brown hair below her shoulders, which is usually worn in a messy ponytail. It is mentioned numerous times in the series that Cinder's figure is too angular and too boyish (slightly curved).Marissa Meyer's blog. A Guide to Lunar Chronicles Character Traits (July 31, 2014) Her left hand and leg are made of metal, as well as four ribs and splints along the bones in her right leg. Her vertebrae, the silicon and biotissue around her heart, and her brown eyes were also man-made, as well as a control panel at the base of her skull. Until it was disabled by Dr. Erland, she had a small chip that suppressed her Lunar gift installed in her spine. It was created by her stepfather, Linh Garan, before he succumbed to the plague letumosis. Personality She's stubborn, but tenacious as well. Generally warm-hearted, fair, and friendly to people, she is also somewhat awkward in conversations, due to a slight complex about her being a cyborg and looking down upon herself because of this. In the beginning of Cinder, she's part tomboy and doesn't particularly care how she dresses; she does, however, wear a ball gown to the Commonwealth ball. Cinder, although tough, has a soft side that she occasionally shows, particularly to Emperor Kai. When someone gets hurt or in trouble, she becomes tense and concerned, and cares for even the people she doesn't know. Unlike Levana, she cares deeply about the value of other lives, whether it's Lunar, Earthen, cyborg, shell, etc. An example of this is in Scarlet, when she is devastated and momentarily breaks down after accidentally controlling a police officer in France with her manipulation of bioelectricity, making the police officer guard her from an incoming attack, and dying as the consequence. Cinder is also extremely intelligent, though she will occasionally put her emotions ahead of a wise decision. Despite her young age, she excels at her profession as a mechanic. Skills As the true Lunar queen, Cinder is an extremely skilled Lunar with unbelievably powerful abilities of glamouring, along with bioelectricity manipulation. Her skills are hinted to even surpass Levana's, which is partially why Levana both loathes and fears her. Within a week of discovering her skills, she is able to control one of the lupine soldiers of Luna, which is a very remarkable ability, as thaumaturges, with years of training, have difficulty doing so. She is also able to control Sybil Mira, the head thaumaturge, and mentally attack her, driving her to the brink of insanity and ultimately forcing her to commit suicide by jumping off the palace roof. As a cyborg, she also has a knife within her hand and tranquilizer darts within her finger that she can shoot at people to temporarily stun them, as she dislikes using her gift (believing that it turns her into a "monster", like Levana). In the beginning of Cress, she was also shown to train physically with Wolf, gaining some martial arts abilities. Relationships Kai Kai is Cinder's love interest. They first met when he entered her booth at the marketplace at New Beijing Market, in the disguise of a gray hoodie to avoid paparazzi, to have his broken android fixed. He then met her again with Dr. Erland under the impression she was fixing a med droid. Because of their connection with Dr. Erland, they met up several times. Every time they met, Kai slowly began to develop feelings for Cinder, asking her to the ball several times, even giving her the gift of beautiful gloves. However, since Cinder thought her status as a cyborg and later Lunar made her unfit for Kai, she repeatedly turned him down, making up random excuses. Like Cinder, Kai faced decisions that could result in sacrificing his own life for what he perceived as the greater good. Once Cinder learned that if Kai accepted the Lunar Queen Levana's offer of marriage she would kill him, Cinder went to the ball to warn Kai. Levana saw her there and recognized her because her glamour was similar to her mother's (Levana's late sister, Queen Channary). Kai, the rest of the people at the ball, and most of the world (as it was caught on video) learned that Cinder was a Lunar and cyborg, and Cinder was thrown into New Beijing Prison. Kai seemed to have been extremely distressed by this, because he actually liked her and felt betrayed, for he didn't know if his feelings for Cinder was just her messing with his mind or real. In order to keep peace with Luna and Levana because harboring a Lunar fugitive was against the law, Kai agreed to hand over Cinder to be executed. When Cinder escaped, Queen Levana was quick to blame Kai because of his feelings for her. She then gave him three days to find Cinder. Kai was unable to find her at the end of the three days and Levana attacked, unleashing special Lunar operatives that she had sneaked on Earth. As a result, 16,000 Earthens were killed. Kai then agreed to marry Levana in order to stop the attacks. Even after he accepted Levana's marriage proposal, it was evident that Kai still had feelings for Cinder. In fact, almost every time he thought about her, he wished she could escape. When Kai was planning for his wedding with Levana, he treated it more like he was going to his death. He was also very tired of the wedding preparations. On the day of the wedding, he was reunited with Cinder. Their conversation lead into an argument and resulted in Cinder shooting him with a tranquilizing dart. Kai then woke up aboard the Rampion confused, hurt, and shocked. Cress lead Kai into the podship dock where Cinder was repairing Iko. After the two argued for a bit, Cinder finally admitted that she was Princess Selene. Kai then forced Cinder to tell him all of her secrets. She apologized to him and vice versa. The two then shared a kiss, but it was interrupted when news of a massacre in Farafrah appeared on Cinder's netscreen. Kai and Cinder grow even closer, even sharing real kisses and a long conversation, leading them to have a better understanding of each other. Family tree Luna royal tree Linh tree Trivia *The name "Cinder" comes from the original Cinderella fairy tale, in which Cinderella would often arise covered in cinders. *In Greco-Roman mythology, Selene is the titan goddess of the moon, while her Roman counterpart is Luna. The capital of Luna, Artemesia, originates from Artemis, the Greek goddess of the moon and hunting after Selene retired. *Cinder is ambidextrous. *Cinder has blood type A. *Just like the original Cinderella, Cinder is almost always covered in dirt. *Author Marissa Meyer may have chosen a fire to be the reason for Linh Cinder's injuries because in the original fairy tale, Cinderella had to pick lentils from a pile of ashes in order to go to the ball. Notes References Fanarts Linh Cinder Full Body Shot.jpg|Cinder by © lostie815 Cindaaaa.jpg|Cinder by © Abbi Whozit Linh Cinder sm.png|Cinder by © BlackBirdInk Kai and cinder by taratjah-d8h1rbp.jpg|Kai and Cinder by © Taratjah Cinder And Kai.png|Cinder and Kai by © ArtofAngela Cinderand kai by abbidasquirrel-d6hozf0.jpg|Kai and Cinder by © Abbi Whozit Trio-cinder.jpg|Cress, Cinder and Scarlet by © cherrysoprano Blehhh.jpg|Cress, Cinder and Winter by © Abbi Whozit CINDER-tumblr-moonm.jpg|Cinder by © Moon-Mirage Cinder.LunarChronicles.FA.jpg|Cinder by © may12324 Thelunarchroniclesbook.submission.princesselene.jpg|Cinder by © thelunarchronicles femalechar_lunarchron.jpg|Cinder, Scarlet, Cress, and Winter by © abbidasquirrel cndr+kaito_da_fa.png|Kai and Cinder by © sorcaron cinder_tumblr_fa.jpg|Cinder by © kadhara Category:Cyborgs Category:Lunars